Rick Lines

Professor Rick Lines is Honorary Professor at Swansea University and co-Director of the Global Drug Policy Observatory. He leads Substance Misuse and Vulnerable Populations for Public Health Wales. His expertise spans international drug control law, prisoners' rights, HIV and human rights, and harm reduction. He holds an MA in Sociology, LLM in International Human Rights Law, and a PhD in Law. Lines was former Executive Director of Harm Reduction International (2010–2018) and Irish Penal Reform Trust (2003–2007).

Education: MA (York University), LLM (National University of Ireland, Galway), PhD (Middlesex University). Grants include projects on New Psychoactive Substances in Eurasia (funded by Global Challenges Research Fund) and HIV/AIDS in prisons.

Research focuses on drug policy reform, human rights, and global health. Recent publications address compulsory detention for drug use, hepatitis C in prisons, and the impact of drug policies during the pandemic. He co-authored Drug Control and Human Rights in International Law (2017) and is editing a new book on post-prohibition drug policies.

Public engagements include The Conversation articles on safe injection rooms and UN drug policy reforms. Collaborations involve the University of Essex's International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy.